Bangladesh on Friday announced a strict countrywide shutdown until further notice to check the spread of Covid-19.

It reported 108 deaths, the second highest single-day toll since the pandemic’s began in the country.

Health officials said the Delta variants, first identified in India, has spread to Dhaka and has heaped pressure on health facilities in the capital city.

“Other than emergency services, all government and private offices will remain closed... No one will be allowed to go out of their homes without urgent reasons,” an official order said.

Only goods-laden and emergency vehicles will be allowed to operate during the lockdown, it said.

The Covid-19 death toll reached 13,976 while the total number of positive cases touched 8,78,804 with 5,869 new cases in the last 24 hours, according to the latest data from the health ministry.

The country recorded the highest 112 deaths on April 19 this year.

The health authorities’ report came hours after the public administration ministry said they awaited a government decision to enforce a two-week long nationwide shutdown in line with the National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on Covid-19.

“We are ready to enforce the shutdown anytime... it (enforcement) will be tougher than that of last year,” junior minister for public administration Farhad Hossain said. Authorities last week ordered a lockdown in seven districts surrounding Dhaka in an effort to isolate the capital.